Related story: Runway to Runway: How flight attendants became fashion models of the skies

EFWA

The showcase formed part of EFWA’s international fashion program, created to support the United Nations Fashion & Lifestyle sustainability initiatives while championing the livelihoods of women weavers from Towale Village.

Featuring exquisite handwoven textiles transformed into contemporary fashion, the collection demonstrated how cultural heritage and modern design can come together to create meaningful impact.

Led by EFWA Founder and Creative Director Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills, the Australian delegation included professional models, make-up artists, and photographers who collaborated with the University to produce a special runway event.

The presentation reflected a vibrant exchange of creativity, bringing together Australian fashion professionals, Indonesian academics, students, and local artisans in a celebration of craftsmanship, culture, and sustainability.

Tadulako University

More than a fashion show, the EFWA Tadulako University event highlighted the power of ethical fashion to preserve traditional skills, empower women, and inspire a new generation of designers to embrace sustainability while honouring the stories woven into every textile.

Photos: Simon Lau

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During my visit to the Museum of Flight, I discovered a distinctive chapter in fashion history: flight attendant uniforms made from modern fabrics, defined by vibrant colours and striking silhouettes!

Learn about the European designers who dress flight attendants to make them the face of the airlines. See how uniforms turn them into movie stars as they walk across the terminal concourse. 

Check out my fashion story on fwtmagazine.com. 

Above photo: Eight Hughes Airwest flight attendants waving from the wing of a Douglas DC-9 aircraft, circa 1971-1978. Courtesy of the Museum of Flight.

Related story: International Fashion Gala Finale

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Returning for its fourth year, the False Creek Crab Fest has become one of Vancouver’s signature summer food celebrations, bringing together seafood lovers, families, and community members for an unforgettable afternoon of West Coast flavour and fun on the waterfront. 

Related story: Come and enjoy the Spot Prawn Festival

False Creek Crab Fest

At the heart of the festival is BC’s iconic Dungeness Crab, prepared in a delicious crab boil experience created by acclaimed local chefs including Vish Mayekar and Johnny Bridge. Guests will enjoy a whole locally harvested crab paired with BC Craft beverages while taking in the vibrant atmosphere of Vancouver’s working harbour.

Set against the scenic backdrop of False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf, the festival offers guests a rare opportunity to connect directly with local fishers, while enjoying one of Vancouver’s most scenic waterfront views. With live music, games, and educational booths, this vibrant outdoor event is fun for all ages. Come out and be part of the celebration. 

False Creek Crab Fest is a celebration with purpose. The event raises awareness for the sustainable management of British Columbia’s crab fishery and supports the future of the food and hospitality community. Proceeds help advance initiatives led by Chefs’ Table Society, including CTS’s culinary scholarships, mentorships, sustainability projects, and the development of The Commons by CTS – a gathering place dedicated to strengthening BC’s food and hospitality sector. Support the cause by attending. 

Ticket Information

Buy Tickets

Tickets include one delicious Dungeness Crab plate, a sweet treat, and two beverage-tasting tickets.

• Early Bird Tickets $65 per person + taxes on sale until June 14, 2026
• On June 15, 2025, General Admission Tickets are available for $70 per person + taxes
• Tickets at the door are available for $75 per person + taxes, subject to availability

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This year’s theme celebrated elegance, and David Chen did not disappoint.

Related story: International Fashion Gala: Ole to Elegance

Guests enjoyed music, dance, bridal wear, and opulent fashions.

David Chen himself showcased a beautiful floral dress with blue flowers. This was followed by YiYi Chinese dancers from Seattle, WA, and Japanese kimono dresses.

Mine Fashion presented a range of elegant yet stylish wedding, bridesmaid, prom, and evening dresses available for rental.

My favourite looks of the night were from the Myles Elegance collection. It presented theatrical flair, from the old-world opera to modern extravagant fashions. 

This year, Chen has partnered with the BC Cancer Foundation to champion the Vancouver Cancer Centre’s technology innovation initiative. 

Beneath the tall stained-glass windows surrounding the runway, the Gala was filled with fashion indulgence. An evening enjoyed by all. 

Photos: Simon Lau

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This inspiring theme set the stage for the Handmade for the Earth fashion show by Eco Fashion Week Australia (EFWA), which transformed the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) into a hub of creativity last May.

Related Story: EFWA: The Buya Subi Project

Handmade for the Earth

For more than 10 years, Founder and Creative Director Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills has carried her eco-fashion vision across continents, inspiring audiences from Perth and Vancouver to Florence and, now, Palu, Indonesia.

Handmade for the Earth weaves together age-old textile artistry and contemporary design, sparking innovation in sustainable fashion and nurturing the growth of green economies.

The fashion collection featured Buya Subi, a silk Sarong Donggalaven from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, handcrafted for over 300 years.

Eco fashion designers

The VPL fashion runway came alive with creations from more than a dozen designers representing Canada, Estonia, the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, and Australia.

Vancouver audiences saw Green Embassy, Atelier Zuhal, Sylvia Calvo, LJR Design by Linda Russel, Leah Kelly By Design, Samantha Faye Designs, Fabric of Nature, Amme Dennis, Atelier Biologico, Nenjaka, Ravencroth Textile Studio, Funk N Soul97, Mon, Fina Collection, Acca Atelier, Temple of Redress, Haruu Zuzana Hrubos and Olga Ignatenko.

Buya Subi

We were all treated to eco-conscious runway shows in which sustainable designs blended bespoke craftsmanship with contemporary flair.

The Handmade for the Earth collection featured Buya Subi, silk Sarong Donggala textiles hand-woven in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, for over 300 years.

Dr. Kuvan-Mills strongly believes that the most radical act in fashion is to make it by hand. The future is handmade.

Fashion is much like art

EFWA is working towards:

• Preserve cultural heritage in the face of globalization.
• Drive sustainable, zero-waste design practices.
• Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

For Dr. Kuvan-Mills, fashion is much like art, sparking conversations about sustainability and cultural preservation, shaping consumer choices and the industry’s future.

EFWA’s next fashion show will be held in Perth, Australia, from October 30 to November 1, 2026.

Photos: Simon Lau

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In a world of waste, we choose zero.

In a world of machines, we choose the human touch.

Last May, Eco Fashion Week Australia (EFWA) brought the Buya Subi Project fashion show to a full house at the Vancouver Public Library.

Led by founder and creative director Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills, the runway showcased work from 21 designers from Australia and beyond.

Related story: Okaridge Park redefines luxury retail in Vancouver

Dr. Kuvan-Mills is no stranger to the Vancouver fashion community. Nearly a decade ago, she debuted one of her first collections at Vancouver Fashion Week.

Today, she calls the city her second home, crediting its designers and journalists with reconizing her talent and encouraging her path in fashion.

The Buya Subi Project launches a new four-year EFWA initiative exploring the intersection of culture and sustainable fashion.

It is a landmark collaboration between EFWA, the Central Sulawesi government, the Consulate General of Indonesia in Vancouver and the UN Sustainable Development Goals initiative. 

At the centre of the project are women in Palu, Indonesia, who handcraft silk textiles on manual looms using a tradition more than 300 years old. EFWA is helping preserve that heritage at a time when globalization continues to pressure local craft communities.

Buya Subi, a traditional textile from Central Sulawesi, is more than a handwoven fabric. It embodies community, tradition, and a deep respect for the environment.

With support from the Sulawesi government, each of the 21 participating designers received two square metres of Buya Subi fabric and was invited to create a runway look around it.

The resulting pieces honoured the textile’s cultural significance, foregrounded environmental responsibility, and helped create a pathway for local women to build a sustainable craft economy through tourism.

Ultimately, the Buya Subi Project is about more than preserving textile heritage, craftsmanship, and design. It is also an invitation to rethink how—and why—we buy fashion.

Photos: Simon Lau

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Originally opened in 1959 as Oakridge Centre, the mall was developed by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) on a then-undeveloped 32-acre forested site at West 41st Avenue and Cambie Street. Built with a construction budget of $25 million, the open-air shopping centre became Vancouver’s first major mall, anchored by the Woodward’s department store and surrounded by 2,500 surface parking spaces.

Related story: International Fashion Gala: Ode to elegance

Walking through the front doors of the new Oakridge Park reveals just how much Vancouver has evolved over the decades — from a quiet forestry town into a global city preparing to host FIFA and attract visitors from around the world.

Offering a luxury shopping experience

The all-new Oakridge Park is centred entirely around luxury retail. There are no fast-fashion outlets here. Instead, shoppers stroll along expansive granite floors lined with brands ranging from local favourites such as Lululemon and Aritzia to prestigious European fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Brunello Cucinelli, and Bvlgari.

Surprisingly, several luxury boutiques, including Dior, were still not open despite the redevelopment having been underway for more than a decade. Most remaining tenants are expected to be operational by the fall.

Inside the mall, suspended glass art installations hang overhead, including a small indoor amphitheatre with church-style wooden pews that provides space for live performances and cultural programming.

Time Out Market

Located above the shopping centre is the new Time Out Market, the internationally recognized food hall concept founded in Lisbon with locations around the world. My most recent visit to a Time Out Market was in Barcelona last year, and stepping into the Vancouver location immediately brought back memories of enjoying authentic Spanish paella.

The food hall promises an elevated culinary and cultural experience, featuring cuisine from some of the city’s top chefs. Visitors can choose from 18 kitchens, three bars, a coffee shop, and a main stage dedicated to arts and cultural events.

Dining here, however, comes at a premium. The Le Croc burger from Feenie’s starts at $27.99, add foie gras, port wine jus and truffle fries, and your tab climbs to $72.96, not including tip and tax.

Most seating consists of large communal bench-style tables accommodating up to 1,000 guests. During the summer months, visitors can also dine outdoors on the rooftop patio while enjoying some of Vancouver’s best people-watching.

Luxury fashion and dining converges at Oakridge Park

Oakridge Park’s upscale retail tenant mix targets affluent shoppers and has historically posted the highest sales per square metre among malls across Canada.

Strategically located between downtown Vancouver and Vancouver International Airport, with access to the Skytrain, Oakridge Park appears well-positioned for long-term success despite a recent slowdown in global luxury goods spending.

Beneath the mall are 2,000 underground parking spaces, including 200 electric vehicle charging stations. Valet parking is available on the P1 level at both the north and south atriums, while the first two levels of underground parking remain free for up to three hours.

The Oakridge Park redevelopment was approved by the City of Vancouver in 2014 as a then-$1.5-billion project. Since then, it has expanded into a $5-billion development that includes five luxury condominium towers nearing occupancy, future office towers, and a proposed street-style shopping district still awaiting a construction timeline.

From luxury fashion to contemporary streetwear, Oakridge Park aims to bring together some of the world’s most established and innovative names in fashion. Vancouver has certainly grown since its beginnings. 

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Related story: Runway to Runway: Fashion takes Flight

Founded in 2017 by David Chen, the event was born from a deeply personal journey marked by loss, resilience, and gratitude. After losing his wife to cancer in 2012, Chen sought a meaningful way to honor her legacy while giving back to the community that supported him through unimaginable hardship. What began as a tribute has since evolved into one of Vancouver’s most inspiring cultural showcases.

Since its inception, the International Fashion Gala has grown into a vibrant platform celebrating diversity, artistic excellence, and emerging talent. Each year, it brings together acclaimed designers, performers, artists, and audiences from around the world. Creating a dynamic intersection of fashion and culture.

This year’s gala will gather elite designers, cultural icons, and creative visionaries whose collections reflect stories of heritage, perseverance, and identity. 

Yet beyond the runway, the evening carries a deeper humanitarian mission. In partnership with the BC Cancer Foundation, the gala will help launch a $50 million fundraising campaign to support Canada’s first next-generation clinical scanner — a transformative advancement in cancer care and research.

International Fashion Gala

By merging artistic expression with philanthropic purpose, the International Fashion Gala demonstrates that true elegance extends far beyond aesthetics. It is found in compassion, community, and the power to uplift others. More than a celebration of beauty, the gala stands as a catalyst for change. A reminder that fashion can inspire not only admiration, but action.

On May 30, guests will gather at Christ Church Cathedral to celebrate courage, creativity, and the enduring belief that style with meaning can help reshape the world.

International Fashion Gala

Christ Church Cathedral

May 30, 2026

Tickets Eventbrite

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Spanning the golden age of air travel from the 1950s to the 1970s, the exhibition showcases iconic suits, skirts, caps, and go-go boots, while tracing the evolution of these fashions into today’s more refined, neoclassical styles.

Above: Marge Marques (left) and Zonia Arauzo (right) model Hughes Airwest flight attendant uniforms for a promotional photo shoot. Credit: The Museum of Flight Collection

Related story: Artistic legacy of Maison Schiaparelli at the V&A

The display highlights individual flight attendants through personal stories, photographs, and uniforms. Visitors learn about pioneers such as United Airlines’ first Black flight attendant, as well as one of Continental Airlines’ first male stewards, who recalled having to keep smiling in 1978 as passengers struggled to understand the idea of a man in the role.

It also explores how airlines turned uniforms into a branding tool. As flight attendants became the public face of commercial air travel, carriers enlisted celebrated designers from New York, Paris, Milan, and Hollywood to create memorable looks that made in-flight service feel distinctive and aspirational.

Many designers embraced the bold spirit of their era

Some uniforms were elegant and restrained; others fully embraced the bold spirit of their era. Designers including Jean Louis, Roxane of New York, Mario Armond Zamparelli, Valentino, Emilio Pucci, and Edith Head left their mark on everything from dresses to accessories, using innovative fabrics, mod silhouettes, and vibrant colours to help airlines stand apart.

The Runway to Runway exhibition presents 13 uniforms from eight airlines, most of them designer pieces from the 1960s and 1970s. Standout ensembles include Emilio Pucci’s mod pink Braniff International Airways design from 1971, complete with a coordinated dress, pants, and umbrella, and the bright yellow-and-blue Hughes Airwest uniform from the early 1970s, featuring a dramatic cape, a princess-cut dress, and knee-high yellow go-go boots. Also on display is United Airlines’ iconic 1968 uniform, designed by Jean Louis and known as “The Skimmer.”

Strict appearance standards for flight attendants

Accessories are given their due as well, with bags, purses, scarves, and headwear rounding out the display. These pieces showcase the work of designers such as Mario Armond Zamparelli for Hughes Airwest in the 1970s and Emilio Pucci’s boldly patterned accessories for Braniff International Airways from 1966 to 1971.

One of the most memorable items in the exhibition is the vintage poster Success Factors for ’63, which outlines the strict appearance standards for Trans World Airlines (TWA) flight attendants. These standards cover everything from the correct way to wear makeup and the proper hairstyle to skirt length, a firm, fitted girdle, and the use of black wrist-length gloves, both on and off the plane.

Runway to Runway is on display at the Seattle Museum of Flight until January 18, 2027.

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Produced by the Chef’s Table Society of BC (CTS) in collaboration with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association (PPFA), this cherished coastal tradition has been a Vancouver favourite since 2006. The festival kicks off the much-awaited BC spot prawn season, bringing together chefs, fishers, and food enthusiasts to celebrate one of the province’s most iconic and sustainable seafoods.

Related story: Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

This year, they warmly invite Vancouverites to support our local fishers during the Spot Prawn festival, especially as they navigate uncertain times caused by foreign tariffs. With export demand and prices declining, our harvesters and the coastal community are feeling the financial strain. Let’s come together to show our support and appreciation for their hard work.

Eat more prawns

We must all step up to support the local people who power the industry and bolster domestic demand. Eat more spot prawns. Our future depends on this effort. 

You have three ways to support the fishers at the Spot Prawn Festival:

Back by popular demand, Chefs’ Table Society will serve up a Prawn & Seafood Chowder. Tickets for the chowder with a freshly baked bun are $12 per bowl (plus tax and service), and you can take it to go!

No long waits

Choose to enjoy your Prawn Seafood Chowder in one of the following time slots:
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
The time clearly indicated on your ticket should be respected. Please note that arriving early will not grant earlier access, and arriving late may result in a longer wait.

Live Demo Stage on the dock (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
Join talented chefs for 30-minute cooking demonstrations as they share tips, techniques, and inspiration for cooking with BC Spot Prawns.

Spot Prawn Festival Brunch
Excited about attending the weekend brunch featuring a tasting menu with six delicious spot prawn dishes that showcase the many ways this delicacy can be enjoyed. Dishes will be prepared by some of BC’s finest chefs—a great way to sample a variety of creations and connect with the chefs as you move between food stations, while enjoying samples of BC wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. A sweet treat will be served as well.

Participating chefs and restaurants include:
Ben Kiely, PICAchef
Bobby Milheron, Maxine’s Café and Bar
Christopher Janowski, Sunflower Café
David Lee, Vancouver Aquarium
Jay Park, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Jitin Kapoor, Glowbal
Kailash Chandra, Sula Indian Restaurant
Lina Caschetto, Say Hey Cafe
Malindi Taylor & Alex Guido, Fanny Bay Oyster Bar
Raimund Heuser, Blue Water Café
Steve Kuan, Torafuku
Tyler Prevette, Folietta Ristorante & Bar
Ysmael Media/Catalino III Javier, Halina Modern Filipino Kitchen + Bar

Chef’s Table Society

Each year, the Spot Prawn festival helps build domestic appreciation for BC Spot Prawns while raising vital funds for CTS programs, including culinary scholarships, mentorship, and sustainability initiatives. It also supports The Commons by CTS—a dynamic new culinary hub in Vancouver dedicated to preserving BC’s rich food heritage while fostering education, industry connections, and the next generation of culinary talent.

Event Details
Event: Spot Prawn Festival 2026
Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026
Venue: False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf 
Host: Chefs’ Table Society
Tickets & Information: Chef’s Table Society

All photos courtesy of Chef’s Table Society of BC.

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